empty flasks, fuller truths
by Faulty Paragon
Summary: Qrow's world crumbles when he finds out the truth behind Oz and Salem's conflict. He always thought that, if no one else, Oz would never leave him behind. He was wrong. Set after Jinn's reveal in V6.


A/N: I have a longer piece for this topic planned. For now, have this short oneshot.

Set after Jinn's reveal of the truth in V6.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

empty flasks, fuller truths

Why?

_We can't win. _

Suddenly, it was as if all the air had been ripped from his lungs. The world spun, white snow blinding in the sunlight, tearing away his vision. He hated it. The snow was just as brilliant and shimmering as Jinn's hold. He slumped over, sucking in, in, in- but no air existed in the vacuum around him. It was as if he was trapped in a void.

_We can't win. _

He didn't realize that his fist connected with Oscar's cheek. He didn't realize that he ached in a way he couldn't name, that his chest was heaving, his eyes glassy- and he didn't realize that Ruby and Yang could see his heart shattering to pieces. All he knew was the surging truth, rushing back into the forefront of his mind after _24 fucking years _of trying to pretend the words weren't true, trying to squash them away in the deepest recesses of his heart.

But at the end of the day, those words were all that was left, wasn't it?

_You're a mistake. A bad luck charm. You'll never do any good. There's no place for you in this world. _

He almost vomited.

His flask was empty.

He drank in from it anyways, feelings wisps of liquor pouring down his throat, breathing in the heady scent that, just like every other thing in this world, had left him behind.

Ruby and Yang were walking ahead of him. His two little girls, the people he had fought to protect all this time, the two lights in his life, his pride and marks on the world and favourite creatures in the universe- walking ahead. Not looking back.

They didn't need him to guide them, did they?

He wanted to run. He wanted to hide.

At that faint thought, the image of the idyllic cottage in Patch popped into his mind, and his heart surged in want. God, he wanted to go _home-_

_Tai. _

Tai would know what to do. Tai was good at picking up the pieces- far better than he was, than he could ever be, after all their loss- and Tai could give him answers. He needed his best friend, his brother, the only one in the world who hadn't turned their back on him… yet.

But that wasn't _his_ home, was it? Tai was part of that home, but if he went back without the girls by his side, if Tai knew he abandoned them… Patch would never be his safe place anymore.

He didn't have anywhere, did he?

Instantly, he dug down into his soul, searching for his Aura. The familiar seed of magic Ozpin had embedded within it so long ago blossomed into his touch, and his bones immediately began to hollow out, hairs on his skin raising and elongating, because he needed to _get out of there. _

_We can't win. We need to run. _

But where? There was nowhere Salem could not find.

And how could he run using the powers Ozpin had given him, in order to aid a forsaken cause?

He used to be _so proud _of his powers, but _now_-

_Rae was right._

Suddenly, the magic shrivelled away into his core, and his bones filled with the weight of lead and sorrow and regret. He could barely trudge forward.

It was so cold.

The kids wanted to escape the approaching snowstorm. A vague thought in the back of his mind pondered what it would be like to just… not.

Oscar tried apologizing. The boy's Aura was slower to activate than the rest of them, the swelling in his cheek fading at a snail's pace, mocking him. Oscar tried to say that Ozpin didn't mean to hurt him.

_He lied._

At the end of the day, no matter what anyone did or said… Qrow knew the truth now. His entire life's purpose had fallen away, meaningless, a pathetic mimicry of a 'worthwhile goal' crumbling to ash.

He wanted to pretend it was all a lie. But Ozpin's warm eyes had hidden away behind Oscar's innocence, throwing another naïve child under the _fucking bus_, and every time he looked at Oscar's young, guilty face, he wanted to curl up and cry. Ozpin was hiding. Ozpin knew it was true. _We can't win._

And Oz had lied to Qrow anyways.

The weight of everything Qrow had ever done for Oz in the past struck his shoulders like a ton of bricks, and he did taste bile, this time. A young girl's face, red hair and green eyes, shifting into horror, knowing that she'd never see her friends- _his nieces- _ever again if she did what was best 'for the world'.

He had lead children like Pyrrha to their execution, hadn't he? At the very least, he hadn't stopped it from happening.

Her death meant nothing.

_Summer's death meant nothing._

And no matter what lies Oz gave him in the future, his silence in response to their heartbreak and fear and questions _right then _was enough to tear Qrow's soul into pieces. His hero had let him down, irrevocably.

But without Oz, why was Qrow even still breathing?

_I shouldn't be._

For the first time in 24 years, Qrow truly and honestly wished that he hadn't made it out of the Branwen tribe. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be here- 41 years old and broken and _worthless. _

_We can't win. _

When Ruby asked him if he was alright, he laughed. And laughed. And laughed. And when he began crying a little, tears icy and freezing on his cheeks against the chilly air, he kept laughing.

And Oz still didn't say anything.


End file.
